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122 Greenwich Avenue - One Jackson Square - by Kohn Pedersen Fox

Does anyone know if this will rise on the empty lot that's on Greenwich and 8th Avenue or will the building next to it be razed for this project? The empty lot is horrible.

Multi-faceted facades planned for 122 Greenwich Avenue 28-FEB-06

Hines Interests presented its plans for a new residential condominium project, every floor of which will have different, multi-faceted, clear-glass facades, at 122 Greenwich Avenue fronting on Jackson Square to the land-use and aesthetics committee of Community Board 2 last night.

The elegant but very modern design rekindled a community debate on whether the changing nature of new construction in the area is altering the “context” of “historic districts.”

The presentation was led by the project’s architect, William Pedersen, the design partner of Kohn Pedersen Fox and one of the world’s foremost architects whose masterworks include 333 Wacker Drive in Chicago, the Shanghai World Financial Center, the Parkhaven Tower in Rotterdam, the Rodin Museum in Seoul, South Korean, Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, and the Westend Strasse 1/DZ Bank Headquarters in Frankfurt.

While best-known for the poetic grace of his skyscrapers, Mr. Pedersen’s design is quite modest with a low-rise wing along its frontage on Greenwich Avenue at 13th Street and a 11-story setback tower at its north end. The angled site falls within two zoning districts. Mr. Pedersen told the committee that his first reaction was to try to “level” off the project, but he finally decided to conform it to the existing regulations except for a slight increase in building height to provide taller ground floor spaces.

The planned building is distinguished by its unusual façade that consists of randomly spaced floor-to-ceiling bronze-colored mullions and windows of varying widths to create a very faceted façade that would also have gray-colored vertical window blinds.

The building will have 36 apartments and Mr. Pedersen said that its design was influenced in part by Richard Morris Hunt’s design of the former Jackson Square Library building at 251 West 13th Street. The building does not extend all the way to 14th Street and so its north wall will be blank, but Mr. Pedersen has divided it into three vertical sections to make it more visually interesting.

Hines Interests is one of the nation’s major developers whose skyscrapers have revitalized many urban skylines in the United States.

The committee meeting at 75 Morton Street was standing room only and lasted for four-and-a-half hours and Doris Diether, the committee’s chairperson announced that the project will be the subject of a public hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Commission March 7.

The committee voted 6 to 2 to oppose the authorization of a certificate of appropriateness by the landmarks commission. The project falls within the Greenwich Village Historic District and is much smaller than nearby buildings on West 14th Street and Horatio Street.

Several committee members praised the design but argued that it was “inappropriate” for the historic character of the historic district.

Mr. Pedersen, shown at the right, said that the site, now occupied by a parking lot, has been undeveloped for half a century and deserves an important building to mark the intersection of the West Village and Chelsea neighborhoods.

Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation,” argued that the project does not “reinforce” the “historical” historical nature of the district.

One neighborhood resident exclaimed that “we certainly don’t need any more high-end retail in the Village,” and others were critical of undulating glass towers, a reference to the apartment complex nearing completion just to the west of Cooper Union in the East Village.

Peter Samton of Gruzen Samton, an architectural firm with offices close to Jackson Square, however, praised the design as did several other residents of nearby buildings.

Does anyone know if this will rise on the empty lot that's on Greenwich and 8th Avenue or will the building next to it be razed for this project? The empty lot is horrible.

Yes I think it is that empty lot use as a parking lot plus another building that is on the corner. I don't care too much for that building on the corner really as much as I remember it. I think is great that someone is going to built something there and the size is great aswell.

I really am amazed by NY these days. A group of people paying nothing in rent controlled buildings can perhaps block potentially nice projects on crap parcels (like this empty lot or like Solow's buildings on 1st), and yet nice old buildings (like the famed townhouses, Drake, the pre-Civil War Church in the East Village, etc.) are demolished at will, and no one seems to care.

I read an article on cityrealty.com that some a-hole is going to put a glass and aluminum facade on a pre-Civil War townhouse in the Village. These a-holes should be complaining about that -- not about KPF's plan for a building on a parking lot that's been empty for 50 years. They should be rallying to get rid of the eyesore Lukoil petrol station across the street from this lot too. These people are retarded.

From cityrealty.com on 28 Feb 06.
Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation,” argued that the project does not “reinforce” the “historical” historical nature of the district.

One neighborhood resident exclaimed that “we certainly don’t need any more high-end retail in the Village,” and others were critical of undulating glass towers, a reference to the apartment complex nearing completion just to the west of Cooper Union in the East Village.

This group ( and thank GOD it exists ) is absolutely correct in questioning a propsal for a glass building at this site. These people aren&#180;t dummies.... the Village has remained beautiful because of THEIR efforts.... NOT because of developers.

Incredible, but the Sullivan Street Playhouse is not in the historic district and that&#180;s why it is allowed to be torn down. The group is trying to extend the historic district to block further damage to the Village:

Sullivan Street Playhouse area is really pretty; no changes should be contemplated there. Rest of the South Village also needs protection. Some of those rundown little buildings are gems. Restore them.

Yes I think it is that empty lot use as a parking lot plus another building that is on the corner. I don't care too much for that building on the corner really as much as I remember it. I think is great that someone is going to built something there and the size is great aswell.

You can really only judge the massing from this model but the massing is entirely appropriate for the site and the village.

Too many people do not understand "contextualism" correctly. The see it only in the most mundane and superficial way. They had the same complaints of the Equinox on Greenwich Ave. which, IMO fits the village perfectly and is brilliantly contextual without resorting to hackneyed ideas of trying to duplicate 18th century window framings and cornices.

I think it&#180;s safe to generalize that people of the Village are a sophisticated, intelligent lot. They care enough about their beautiful neighborhood to demand a review of the design and have a debate. How could anyone expect that NOT to happen? Do you reeeeeally think that residents of the Village.... of New York City&#180;s Greenwhich Village.... are going to just accept any developer&#180;s plans blindly and with open arms?

It&#180;s up to the developers and the architect to make their case and convince. The building might very well be a masterpiece but don&#180;t you think hearing "every floor of which will have different, multi-faceted, clear-glass facades..." might raise a few flags?

New tower near 2 Horatio Street

Curbed
March 3, 2006

West Village Must Decide Whether to Undulate

by Joey

The Sculpture for Living is a glorious sight to behold, of course, but it's just so damn ... east. What are our Greenwich Village bretheren supposed to do when they want to feast their eyes upon waves of glass? Well, they just might be in luck. Here's an excerpt from a memo sent by the board to residents of 2 Horatio Street (right), talking about what developers want to do with a nearby parking lot:

The building proposal is for a 7-story section along Greenwhich Avenue and an 11-story tower on the 8th Avenue side adjacent to the deli on 14th Street. The developer stated the building is in conformance with local zoning relative to the square footage, however the developer is seeking permission to increase the height along Greenwhich Ave by 7 or 8 feet. The design calls for a modern all glass undulating facade. Everyone can formulate his or her own opinion of the design however it is important to note we are in the West Village Historic District. In order for this project to be built the Landmarks Preservation Commission must give it their approval.

Ka-pow! The memo then lists two public meetings where the building would be discussed, including a Community Board 2 get-together on February 24. Anybody hit that up?

Historic Districts Council executive director Simeon Bankoff responded to our morning request for more intel about the proposed West Village undulation, sending along his photos of 122 Greenwich Avenue from the community board meeting on February 24. Uh, hello! Two more views of this immediate new Curbed obsession after the jump.

In way of thanks to Simeon, we'll break our no-events-listing policy to point out that the HDC is hosting its annual conference at Columbia this weekend. Discussions around this year's theme, "Place, Race, Money & Art: The Economics and Demographics of Historic Preservation" tomorrow, and walking tours on Sunday. Looks to be a good one.

Get ready for a fight. Residents of 2 Horatio and 14 Horatio (both of whose Empire State Building views would be blocked by the "undulating glass tower") are teaming up and bringing it on at the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission meeting next Tuesday. They've got petitions and everything. I expect blood.

I will be PISSED OFF if the members of the Landmarks Preservation Commission block this nice building which will rise on an empty lot while sitting on their fat asses as the 56th townhouses, The Drake, Shelly's, the YMCA, the 160 year old church on the L.E.S., etc.

Also, any claims that this tower is out of contect are misplaced. This particular area is a transitional area out of the Village. By contrast, the ultra-modern, glass and aluminum Gansevort Hotel in the middle of the Meat Packing District is far more out of context, as are the planned buildings by the High Line. Nevertheless, they work well in that area.

The jackasses opposing this should really be focused on getting rid of eyesores across the street like the Lukoil station and that crap deli on 14th St.